New-York tribune., 1887-12-24
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
A TROPICAL VOYAGE.

DOWN TH isiA%nS NJ AaA y0{Aqh rir"} 12 ifsAh Min ias
hE' s,,i,, d5aiAInas IN " j. BURNS evo, PIP.
3iu Chsr,s sCii-ner's sons.
Mr pu,cr's ar. mt of a yoy 49, in the good steamer
carracol ia down through ard back from inc afio
hccs. o. vinivard Islands, is a lively and nncommon'y
vel.wrl,tcu look There IS something fascinating III
the very idea OF such voyage; the departure nom
Neuye,I on q hleai, and bowling April day the al
r,ost niracuoae change fom bitter winicr "ee'hcr 10
tho warmth and radiance Of ~" tropics; the ia'Fl"nn
into which he SIX day. Steam Introduces inc ,HNo
ies The Sharpness OF the contrasts the pfoh5ay oi
the island fora the quaint manners ana customs VI
thc Ancllczcd and Frenchdrd negroes the LAVISH nos
,ltsl,v of The ,lar;cYS-,n shot every feature Is he"
surprising attractive ana amusing -
Mr. Patton IS capital story tellcr. and his h'f'h'H
styc is so good and 80 much las own th@' "p 49, ~
but one fault with his book. He has oc'"p''" 'D'
much space with historical Sketches an" ss,'
There are Of course books n which this 1io oi mus
xccms natural but Nj. Paton'S is not ono ol ''o",
What he has 10 toll Of his own IMPRESSIONS ) ",'e
more interesting than any o. his p'r'o"c" i'''''
abcnt bygonc wars and maSsi'le' anu s"h" ~ A.,
and 50 forth. lis original contributions I ~
iInct literary value, and afford ahic prooi VI ''
,,v ~ . naddlc his own canoe" without ad nom piuc-
-. nj, histories There arc really charming
h in tlc book such for instance. aS the tcndery ana
beautifully told episode OF the two boaimcn, Acck ana
Antony Nj. Patton writes with sparkle OF VIII anu
,omethng Of thai favor Of literary fitness WHICH Is
The secret Of the charm OF certain class OF eSSaSSS'
whose work has proved enduring
!!e has serious reflections. also. and has forme" u-
ridcd opinions upon the futurc Of the Islands The
white inhabitants he says. are declining IN nnmff>'
and the blacks rapidly Increasing If this goes Oh
much longer time must come Whch pIa'As
alone will bc left. Then what VIII happen
VIII they revert to savagery' HteF III,
manner Of the l.aytan negroes. or VIII 'hey oe roo'"
enough in civilization to 81 forward on the lines they
hov. hcen Guided i'm bv their white masters aud en-
,loverss The example Of Iayti is no doubt h>conr-
aging but pcrlap, that of Liberia Is really more IN
point While the progress Of I4tcua has not met th'
expectation OF the most eangulnc. II mas poem MUCH
greater than the ro,-im.st, predicted. NO u'".'
many Of the free blacks have returned To SaNaS'l!
but large proportion Of them have ciuhE 10 oNi'-
gaton aud have. N however Imperfect way 'til'en
IN irnrove e condition Tlr Caribbce islanders are,
we think quite a. we'll grounded in progressive ideas
es are auy of the ncgloc> in Liberia. and Therefore
we have the lielto expect fom them an equal capac
ity for the maintenance of CIVILIZED ways Inc qu''
tion a. TO their destiny. however. Is no' a Ne' d
practical one The contingency apprcheudcd MAY ROT
occur some change oi trade or invention may re
vvc the now dallcncd prospects of the planters ana
In thai case the dlninution of the white element on
the Islands Will probably le checked A. to H'yu
there seems no ground anticipate any Improvement
unless or until some strong power makes up IL NINA 10
restore order there "a police duty. Obviously ih't
duty f. nearer The United state than to any "'hef
country, bur there s present probability iha' II
will be rccogn zed or fulfilcd
We cannot close this notice virhnrt word of we'll
earned praise for the illustrations. Mr. Burns has clever
iy caught the authors IDA. aud his drawings Of nc
Hindl belle and Of the creole gIl are charming
The nicoty with which Mr.. Paton's narrative ha- been
Illustrated printed and lound gives IT. special
scasonabc value ~ gt't-book for which Use 1t l.
thoroughly and admirably fitted